Paving the Way
by Ciara Lewis
Summary: *finished* A girl escapes from the refuge and becomes a newsie, only they don't know she's a girl, and that causes problems when the truth comes out...especially with Hearst! Review, perty please, and I'll love you forever!
1. Default Chapter

Disclaimer: All of the Newsies characters belong to Disney. They are not mine, though I wish Spot was, and I don't know who would want Hearst. I would like to offer my humblest gratitude to Sparkles for the line, "She knew she was making a fool of herself, but extreme frustration is rarely submissive to common sense." and for all her and Fairy's dedicated help on this piece. Thanks Fairy and Sparkles, I never could have done this without your help. The rest of the characters, such as Calli, Michaela, and Clips are mine. Hope you like my story!  
  
PAVING THE WAY By Queen  
  
Chapter 1-  
  
The refuge stood, tall and foreboding, a prison for the poor, helpless children all over New York. The night was dark and still. Shadows overpowered any light that may have managed to seep into hidden areas. Wind and rain rattled the shutters, covering all noise. The refuge warden walked down the halls, keys jangling at his belt. He checked all the rooms carefully, but quickly.  
  
He sped up as he neared the last room of the top floor. *She better be here,* he thought as he looked through the bars on the door. Blankets were pulled up over a sleeping figure on the bed. *Thank goodness, she's still here.* He turned away, then hesitated, eyes narrowed. He put the key in the lock. *Just in case...*  
  
Calli paused, darting through the shadows surrounding the building. She listened with her ears pricked, barely breathing. Moments later, Calli heard shouts from the direction of her room. She bounded away, stopping only when she had ran several blocks. Satisfied after more listening, she gasped for air and worked to calm down. Tucking a stray piece of white-blonde hair under her hat, she surveyed the street cautiously with green cat-eyes. *All right I've come this far, now what?* Calli heard a whistle begin to shrill a warning to the sleeping occupants inside the refuge. Shouts and more whistles filled the air. Carriages began coming towards the street Calli was on. *Oh, crap,* she thought running with all her might from her fate at the refuge.  
  
~*~*~*~*~  
  
The next morning Calli, dirty, tired, and hungry, weaved her way through the crowded streets of Manhattan. She was in search of food. *The hard part's over, the next should be a piece of cake.* Her stomach growled and she regretted using that particular choice of wording.  
  
Calli confidently walked up to a bread store and stepped through the door, only to find herself walking out again. A large, heavyset woman was pushing her backwards. "GET OUT! No money means no food, and no food means..... BEAT IT!!!!!" She yelled, emphasizing her seriousness by slamming the door.  
  
Passers by stared at the figure sitting on the ground glaring defiantly at the closed door. *Or maybe not,* she thought. Calli stood, *This calls for drastic measures.*  
  
~*~*~*~*~  
  
*This is pathetic. Two hours spent looking, just looking, for food, and I haven't found any.* Or stolen any, an annoying voice in her head reminded her. The only thing she had succeeded in getting were lectures on her ungodliness and pathetic lifestyle, and more bruises. She kicked at a rock, and howled when it hit her sore foot. Calli hobbled over to the side of the street and bent down to examine her foot. Suddenly a carriage came rushing by and knocked her into a mud puddle. Calli stood up dripping with mud, and raised her fist at the retreating back of the carriage, yelling dire threats. More people stopped and stared at her. Calli knew she was making a fool of herself, but extreme frustration is rarely submissive to common sense. (Author's note: This line is Sparkles' line. Thanks for letting me use it, Sparkles.)  
  
From the corner of her eye she noticed someone observing her curiously. Spinning around, she saw a small dark-haired newspaper boy staring at her. It was at that moment that she lost it.  
  
"WHAT IS WRONG WITH YOU PEOPLE?!" She screamed. "IS THERE SOMETHING DIFFERENT ABOUT ME? DO YOU HAVE NOTHING BETTER TO DO THAN TO STARE AT ME ALL DAY?! "  
  
"B...b...but.." The boy stammered nervously.  
  
"I DON'T CARE! I..." She stopped as two older boys about her age stepped up next to the kid. Grinning sheepishly, she bolted, knowing instinctively that it would be healthy to do so.  
  
~*~*~*~*~  
  
Les watched the boy run down the street. *What was that all about?*  
  
"Les?" He whirled around at his brother's voice.  
  
"What did that boy say to you?" David asked angrily.  
  
"I...don't know." Les hesitated, torn between telling his brother and merely trying to forget about the whole incident. After all, that boy looked like he didn't need one more problem to worry about.  
  
"He better be careful talking ta people dat way." Jack said dangerously, glaring down the street. "He could get himself inta trouble."  
  
~*~*~*~*~  
  
Calli stopped running a safe distance away from the boys. She sucked in air to her burning lungs, and took in her surroundings. She was in the middle of two long rows of stall-like boxes. Loud talking and shouts came from beyond the row.  
  
Calli walked to the end and poked her head around the corner. Near the 'stalls' was a racetrack. Beyond the track were bleachers filled with fans and gamblers. *So that's where all the shouts came from.* Calli looked back at the track and saw dozens of horses running neck and neck. She leaned on the railing and watched, mesmerized. *They're so beautiful,* she thought.  
  
Two horses pulled away from the rest and galloped ahead as they reached the last stretch. Calli decided that the shorter brown horse would win. *Well, it looks like it has more determination, anyway,* she thought. As the horses came within several feet of the finishing line, though, the black horse pulled away and crossed over the line.  
  
Calli pushed back from the railing and sighed. *Good thing I didn't bet, or I'd be worse than completely broke,* she thought glancing towards the source of loud groans. Two boys were standing farther down the rail. One was a short, dark-haired, Italian-looking boy who was handing money to a blonde boy with an eyepatch. They looked around her age and very familiar with gambling.  
  
She watched them for a moment, then turned her attention back to the track.  
  
~*~*~*~*~  
  
Racetrack groaned. He glanced at his friend who chuckled and stuck his hand out. Race dug into his pocket for the money resignedly, and handed it to Kid Blink who made a show of counting it.  
  
Race scowled at him, and lit his cigar. Abruptly, he brightened and nudged Kid Blink slyly. "Heya, Blink. Dere's no point in puttin' dat money away, I'm jist gonna win it back at cards tanight."  
  
Kid Blink smiled, and patted his pocket reassuringly, "Oh, dat's okay. I t'ink I'll jist keep it wit' me til den."  
  
Racetrack sighed. He leaned on the railing and glanced down it. *Who's dat guy? He ain't been on da streets dat long, what wit' dose clothes and face.*  
  
"Hey, Blink." He nudged his friend. "See dat kid down dere? Who is dat?" Race gestured to the boy.  
  
Blink glanced up and shrugged. "I don't know. He's been dere since da beginnin' a da last race."  
  
Race tossed the remains of his cigar to the ground. "Looks kinda down," he said. "C'mon. Let's go innerduce ourselves."  
  
~*~*~*~*~  
  
Calli watched the remaining activities listlessly. Horses being put away, gamblers collecting money, announcements, people leaving... *pretty boring.* She turned and headed back down towards the streets.  
  
"Heya, kid." Calli spun around and noticed Italian and Eyepatch a few feet away from her.  
  
"Um....hello," she muttered and glanced over her shoulder nervously. Italian grinned reassuringly at her and spit in his hand, holding it out to her.  
  
Seeing Calli's rather disgusted look, he wiped his hand off on his pants and they shook. "I'm Racetrack, but youse can call me Race. Dis here's Kid Blink." He nodded at Eyepatch. "We noticed youse sittin' ovah heah watchin' da races. Do ya like horse racin'?"  
  
"I guess so. I never really gave it much thought." Calli shrugged and twisted her hands. She watched the two boys suspiciously, until she caught herself and rebuked her old nature. *Calm down, they're not gonna hurt you.*  
  
Kid Blink looked at Race, raised an eyebrow, and turned to Calli, "What's yer name?"  
  
"Guess." Calli stated flatly, not in the mood to be civil. *Hopefully they'll get bored soon and move on so I can leave.*  
  
Both boys sized her up. "Jeffrey?" Race began, "Jim? Jonathan? Samuel? Michael? Jake? Jack?" They continued on but Calli was in shock.  
  
*BOY NAMES?! Where do they get that?* She struggled to maintain a normal expression as the realization dawned on her. *Oh, my gosh! My hair is under my hat and I'm wearing a loose shirt. No wonder they're treating me like this.*  
  
She focused back in on Kid Blink's face as they gave up.  
  
"So, what is it?" Racetrack questioned, curiously.  
  
"Huh? Oh, my name? It's...uhh...Curt. Yeah, my name is Curt."  
  
Kid Blink watched Curt. *Curt, huh? I wonder if dat's a real name or a fake one? Oh, well. It doesn't really matter. It's not like we're ever going to see dis boy again. Unless...Race brings him to da Lodging House with us. He better not. Jack might not like it. But Race wouldn't bring a complete stranger to da Lodging House witout Jack's permission, would he?*  
  
A moment later Kid Blink was practically dragging Racetrack away. "Well, it was nice ta see ya, maybe we'll see you again sometime. But me and Race hafta go back to da Lodging House."  
  
Race pulled his arm away from Blink. He spread his hands. "Hold on, Blink. Dat gives me an idea. Heya Curt, are ya staying anywhere?"  
  
*Is that a trick question?* Calli thought, recoiling from Race's hands. *It's probably a good idea to stay away from these guys. They're too friendly, it makes me nervous. There is no way on earth I'm going with them anywhere.*  
  
"Yes." Calli stated. Seeing Race's disappointed expression she almost changed her mind.  
  
"Well, maybe if ya weren't, youse could stay wit us at da Lodging House. Da work isn't dat bad. Ya earn enough money ta buy food, at least. The people aren't dat bad, either," he added hopefully.  
  
Calli immediately decided to go with them the moment the word 'food' came out of Race's mouth.  
  
"Well, maybe one night." 


	2. Drat

Chapter 2:  
  
'Curt' and Race talked and laughed on the way back, Kid Blink breaking in and making a comment every now and then. Mostly, he just listened and thought. *Race is right. Curt isn't that bad. In fact, Jack will probably like him.*  
  
~*~*~*~*~  
  
Jack Kelly was talking with Crutchy when he noticed Race and Kid Blink come in, talking loudly. A few minutes later, Les wandered over to him. Jack glanced down to see if it was important, but forgot about it when Les didn't seem to urgent. That is, until Les began tugging on his sleeve. Jack looked down, "What is it, Les?"  
  
Les gazed up at him. "The boy who yelled at me is here with Kid Blink and Racetrack."  
  
Jack narrowed his eyes and smiled. "Oh he is, is he? Well, we'll just have to have a little talk with him."  
  
~*~*~*~*~  
  
Race and Kid Blink led Curt around the Lodging House, giving her the grand tour. After they had finished, they went to a corner of the bunkroom and sat down to talk. Race immediately began rambling on about his gambling career, not noticing he had lost their attention until several minutes later.  
  
He looked over at Curt, and saw him wince and narrow his eyes. Defiantly, the boy stood and squared his shoulders. *What's goin' on?* Racetrack peered around him to see what was wrong. Jack was approaching them with a group of the newsies. Needless to say, they didn't look like an average welcoming committee.  
  
Race turned to see if Kid Blink knew what was happening, and realized he was standing as well in what appeared to be an act of support to Curt. *He looks as confused as me,* Race observed. *Geez, what's Jack so mad about? As far as I know, Curt hasn't done anything wrong.* With that knowledge in mind, Race also stood up, defending his new friend until Curt was proven guilty.  
  
Calli felt the presence of her two new friends, and knew she should feel grateful for their encouragement, but was too busy berating herself. *Of all the places I could have stayed, I had to pick the one with the kid's bodyguard. Oh boy, I had to pick a fight with a leader. Good going, Calli, now you'll be beaten up and thrown back out into the street.*  
  
~*~*~*~*~  
  
Jack stopped walking and lazily leaned against a bedpost. The newsies around him murmured about the new boy and Jack's behavior. Crutchy walked forward to introduce himself to the boy, but a look from Jack stopped him.  
  
Several minutes passed and the newsies began to get restless. Jack started to speak and all movement abruptly came to a halt. "What's yer name?"  
  
Calli blinked at Jack. *Huh? He asks me what my name is? Maybe he doesn't recognize me,* she thought hopefully.  
  
*No chance of that,* her realistic side told her. *Oh be quiet,* she thought, *I can dream, can't I?* She took a deep breath and opened her mouth to answer with what she hoped to be a calm voice. "Curt."  
  
Calli winced at her failure and tried again. "My name is Curt." She relaxed as it sounded deeper and more boyish.  
  
"I see. Well, I'm Jack Kelly. Dis heya is Skittery, Mush, Snoddy, Boots, Snaps, David, Dutchy, Specs, Mud, Swifty, Jake, Crutchy, Pie Eater, Snipeshooter, you met Racetrack and Kid Blink," he introduced all of the surrounding boys with a gesture of his hand. "And of course you know Les." He motioned to the kid she had yelled at and Les walked up to stand next to Jack.  
  
Calli realized where this was going and shook her head, but Jack continued on, fakely innocent. "Oh, wait a minute. Maybe you don't know who he is. You probably just yell at kids witout knowing them all the time." Jack glared at her and crossed his arms.  
  
Calli watched the newsies around him begin muttering amongst themselves again. Out of the corner of her eye she saw Kid Blink and Race frown. *I better come up with a good excuse soon, or I'll be standing on this side of the line alone.* "I had a bad day," she muttered, giving up. *Great excuse.*  
  
"And having a bad day immediately gives you de right to yell at someone, does it?" Jack asked. *I'm not gonna let him off da hook dat easy.*  
  
Calli looked at her feet and flexed her fingers. "Well.....no. I guess not. It's just that everyone was watching me, and...well...I know that's no excuse, but..." She stammered for several seconds and stopped suddenly, *Wait a minute. It's not his place to yell at me, and I'm not going to let him.*  
  
"You know what, Mister Jack-I'm-a-leader-so-do-what-I-want? I'm allowed to not like having everybody watch me. Would you? And furthermore, I don't have to listen to what you say. You're not MY leader. I came here for food, money, and to get to know some people, but I see that I'm not gonna fit in unless I do whatever you say, and be your humble little servant. Well, I'm..."  
  
Jack listened angrily to her for a moment, his rage bubbling up inside of him. He could barely restrain himself from lunging towards the boy. After a moment, he interrupted, "At least I don't yell at little kids when I'm in a bad mood! And what do you know about what I'm like? You can't even speak without having to take out your anger on someone!"  
  
Calli glared at him, and tried to think of a quick retort. Obviously, this wasn't one of her strong points. *Ugh. The only thing I hate more than a bossy person is when that certain bossy person has a point.* She finally seethed and stood looking at him in the utmost contempt. Every now and then she would open her mouth to reply, but would shut it again and scowl all the more. *Oh, how do you come up with an answer to something that's true? I'm pathetic.*  
  
Jack smirked at her, knowing he had won for the moment. After a while of embarrassing silence, Jack thought she had learned her lesson and pointed to a separate room. She followed, extremely annoyed at having to humble herself.  
  
The rest of the newsies attempted to listen in, but gradually began to get on about their tasks.  
  
~*~*~*~*~  
  
Once, in the room, Jack settled back against the wall casually and began to speak. His voice exuded his complete confidence in himself. "Okay, look. I will forget the whole yelling-at-Les episode. If your gonna stay, ya gotta understand I'm the leader here. Despite what you think, I am not usually bossy, only when one of me boys gets picked on."  
  
He pinned her with a meaningful look. "All I'm asking is dat you hold yer temper, okay? Do ya think youse can manage dat?"  
  
Calli nodded, defeated. *There is no part in arguing as long as he's happy.*  
  
Jack, satisfied, moved on to other things. "So, Curt, how old are ya?"  
  
"Fifteen," Calli replied stiffly.  
  
"How long are ya planning ta stay?"  
  
Calli shrugged, "It depends."  
  
Jack nodded, "I see. Well, someone can teach you ta sell papes tomorrow. Maybe Race or Kid Blink."  
  
~*~*~*~*~  
  
That night, Calli lay on the bottom of a bunk, trying to get comfortable. The boy on the top of her bed tossed and turned until he fell asleep and started to snore. Calli ignored it and began thinking. Soon a revolutionary idea hit her, and she opened her eyes wide. *This is not good. I'm in a roomful of boys. And these boys don't have a clue I am a girl. Oh, boy. This is really not good.*  
  
TO BE CONTINUED 


	3. Fitting In

AN: OKAY PEOPLES, REVIEW!!!!!  
  
Chapter 3:  
  
The next morning Calli woke early to make sure she was ready before the boys were. *The last thing I want is to have one of those many boys find me changing.*  
  
She reflected on that for a moment, and shrugged. *Course, I don't have any other clothes to change into.* Calli stepped out of the bathroom, and found herself crushed against the door as a stampede of boys burst through. Her hat flew across the room and she quickly put her hand on her hair. *Great,* she thought as she crawled towards the hat.  
  
Fortunately, no one noticed her and she stuffed her hair under her hat. *I sure hope this doesn't happen every day. Hmm, maybe I should do my hair in a tight bun from now on so it will at least stay up if my hat comes off. At least it's better than having my hair down.*  
  
Calli sat down on her bed to wait for the boys to finish. When they were done, they burst out of the washroom and rushed down the stairs. Calli found herself being carried along in the tide. *Doesn't anyone notice me? Where are Race and Kid Blink?* She strained her head to see ahead of her.  
  
*No such luck,* she thought disappointedly. Once outside, the newsies began singing and dancing along the streets. The curly-haired boy who shared a bunk with her did several flips while the others made their way dancing towards a small table filled with loaves of bread. Three nuns gave out food and drinks, which the newsies accepted gratefully.  
  
Meanwhile, Calli tried her best to keep up with the group. *Where are they? I barely see anyone I recognize.* Suddenly she saw a cowboy hat taller than the rest of the boy's heads. *Didn't Jack wear a hat like that?* She quickly ran towards the hat, trying to catch up to him before he moved again.  
  
Jack smirked knowingly as she reached him, and Calli quickly tried to look dignified and calm. (Very hard to do, seeing as how she was gasping for air, and her face was flushed.) "I see you found us," he remarked.  
  
"Observant, isn't he?" Calli muttered under her breath, causing Jack to look at her sharply. An angelic expression spread across her face. "Sooo...who is gonna be my partner?"  
  
Race popped a cigar in his mouth and declined. "I don't want to lose all yer money before youse have extra." He explained.  
  
"Okay...Blink?" Jack asked, looking past her. Calli turned around to see the boy, and almost stepped back. *He sure is cuter in the daylight, isn't he?*  
  
"Sure," he agreed as they resumed walking towards the distribution office. Calli followed the rest to the end of the line, that is, she followed Kid Blink and Race into line, Jack went straight to the beginning of the line.  
  
*They let him get away with that?* Calli thought incredulously, observing the length of the line. *Oh, I forgot. He's the leader, he gets away with whatever he wants.*  
  
~*~*~*~*~  
  
As they walked through central park, Kid Blink began teaching her how to sell papes. "Da trick is youse gotta learn ta 'improve da truth' a little. Like, dis story right here." He held up a newspaper and pointed to an article titled, "Mayor gives speech on necessity of taxes." Kid Blink shook his head. "Dey're just waitin' fer us to find a fault, aren't dey? Well, anyway, try it like dis." He held the paper up and waved it back and forth. "MAYOR COVERS SCAM TO GET MONEY!" Calli watched several people hurry over to him and buy a paper.  
  
"What did I tell you, Tom?" An upper class woman insisted, pulling a man over to buy one. She handed Kid Blink a nickel and walked off.  
  
"You were right, Mary."  
  
Blink shook his head and grinned at her. "It's people like dat dat let us earn a living. You try."  
  
Calli picked up one of her newspapers, glanced at the contents, and held it above her head. "BANK USES PEOPLE'S MONEY TO PAY DEBTS! REFUSES TO PAY IT BACK! " She yelled, looking triumphantly over at Kid Blink as a crowd gathered around her. Several minutes later, she shifted the bundle of newspapers that was now considerably lighter to her other side.  
  
"You're a natural, Curt. What page number was that?" She told him and held up another paper.  
  
~*~*~*~*~  
  
*This is pretty easy,* she thought an hour later. *Almost half of my papers sold and it's not even lunchtime.* She raised another paper and opened her mouth, when she heard something that made her freeze.  
  
"DANGEROUS GOIL CRIMINAL ESCAPES FROM REFUGE! POLICE BAFFLED! HIGH REWARD!" Kid Blink called out, oblivious to the sudden whiteness of his companion's skin.  
  
*Calm down,* she told herself. *You don't even look like a girl, they can't possibly recognize you. Not that Hearst knows what I look like that great. I've only seen him...what, twice? I've even seen his stupid nephew more than that.* She thought back to the time she had first met Thomas. He had been as unimpressive then as he had been the whole time she knew him.  
  
"Come in." Callicia stepped into the room and nervously looked at her father. "It's all right. This is my nephew, Thomas. I believe you two will become very well acquainted..." Callicia tuned him out and focused in on the boy about her age sulking on the sofa. Brown hair, almost pitch- black eyes, thin mouth, hunched shoulders... 'Well acquainted?' she thought apprehensively.  
  
"Curt?" Kid Blink waved a hand in front of her face, bringing her back to the present. "Do you want ta eat now?"  
  
"Sure... where?" Calli asked eagerly, barely restraining herself from demanding the information on point of death and high-tailing it towards the food source.  
  
"Jist follow me." ~*~*~*~*~  
  
Tibby's was full of newsies, calling out to the waiters, gossiping, eating, talking, laughing, and... well, basically just being social. Kid Blink expertly weaved his way throughout the swarms of boys with Calli in tow.  
  
"Heya, Blink! Who's yer companion?"  
  
"Huh? Oh, Curt." Kid Blink replied distractedly.  
  
Calli listened to the conversations around her and tried to pick out a familiar voice.  
  
"Dis goil...real beauty...love with me..."  
  
"Den we ran from dem...da bulls chased..."  
  
"Mr. Tibby! How 'bout a free meal since I'm yer favorite customer?"  
  
"No."  
  
"Ahhh...why not?" The boy wheedled pleadingly. *Ohhh, I wonder who that could have been? Who would beg like that?* Calli sarcastically asked herself. *Hmmm...let's see, maybe it's...Jack? Yep. Oh, well, the voice isn't welcome, but at least it's familiar,* Calli thought sourly, swiveling around to find Jack. Her eyes rested on a group of newsies surrounding the boy in question, who was obviously the center of attention. Racetrack, David, Les, the boy she shared a bunk with...yep, she recognized them.  
  
Kid Blink and Calli sat down and joined into the conversation after ordering their food. Or, Blink joined in, Calli concentrated on stuffing her mouth full of whatever food was in reach.  
  
"So dis group of boys are stealing some money from me. I see dem, and soak all of dem in two punches..." Calli looked around at the awed faces all turned up to Jack and shook her head. *Don't they ever get tired of listening to this junk?!*  
  
TO BE CONTINUED  
  
  
  
AN: C'mon, ya know ya wanna, click on the little blue button, even if it's only ta say, Great Story, or Bad Story.. C'mon, let's see how many Great Story's or Bad Story's. I can get.let's start counting!!!! 


	4. Meeting Brooklyn

A.N. Sorry it took so long, I had ta finish off Mirror Image before I let you read this chapter! Review!  
  
  
  
Chapter 4:  
  
Calli sighed with satisfaction as she patted her pocket full of money. In a week she had become quite good at selling, almost as good as Jack. She now had money enough for food and more. Every morning she would get up early, change, hide from the stampede downstairs, and go buy her newspapers.  
  
"CURT!" Calli looked up and smiled as Kid Blink ran over to her. They had become quite good friends in the short time they had known each other and now had a perfect selling spot after much debate. (Calli hadn't liked Blink's old one.)  
  
"Do you wanna meet Spot?" Kid Blink panted.  
  
Calli squinted and remembered the conversation they had had over this famous character.  
  
*  
  
"Who's Spot?" She asked innocently. Kid Blink stared at her wide-eyed and shook his head in disbelief.  
  
"You don't know who Spot Conlon is?!"  
  
Calli shook her head, "No."  
  
Kid Blink scratched his head and gestured with his arms as he described him.  
  
"Spot Conlon is the leader of the Brooklyn newsies, and the most respected and famous newsie in all of New York. Spot is a great fighter, and was the one who helped us win the strike last summer. He's..."  
  
*  
  
Calli shrugged, "Sure, when?"  
  
"Right now, we have to go and meet Jack first."  
  
~*~*~*~*~  
  
Calli and Kid Blink headed for Tibby's. When they got there, Blink glanced around the room and waved to Jack. "There he is." Jack joined them and they headed out the door again.  
  
They soon reached Brooklyn and walked across the docks. *Sure are alot of half naked boys sprawled about,* she thought, carefully avoiding looking at some of them. All of the boys were huge, mean-looking, and muscular. Jack went straight to the end of the piers where a smaller newsie was sitting. The boy looked about sixteen, slender, and handsome, yet about the same build as Calli herself. *Wonder who this is?* Calli looked the boy up and down. He had blondish-brown hair, and stunning icy blue-gray eyes. He wore red suspenders, a slingshot, and a cane which he brandished confidently.  
  
"Heya, Jacky-boy, Blink...who's dis?"  
  
Jack grinned and stepped up to Calli. "Dis is Curt, and dis," he motioned to the newsie. "is da one and only Spot Conlon." The newsie had been watching her coolly, but his gaze flickered when Calli choked.  
  
"E...excuse me," she said, coughing. *This little shrimp is Spot Conlon? Any one of the other boys could beat him up in a heartbeat. This is the most famous and respected newsie???* Calli turned around to compose herself, shoulders heaving as she laughed silently. Several minutes later she managed to have herself under control, and continue civil conversation.  
  
Spot glared at her and spoke warningly. "Is dere something wrong...Curt?"  
  
"I'm sorry, I was just expecting..." Calli gestured helplessly at him.  
  
Spot regarded her with a mixture of condescension and amusement. "Well, you aren't 'xactly what you would call a model example of size."  
  
Calli abruptly stopped laughing and looked at him haughtily. "I'm not a Brooklyn leader."  
  
Spot turned his head to Jack.. "Does he always pick fights wit' people of higher authority, Jack?"  
  
"Yeah, can't seem ta keep his mouth shut."  
  
"Well, den, I'll overlook dat, cause yer new." Spot turned and walked away, obviously expecting them to follow.  
  
"Thanks, I'm forever grateful." Calli couldn't resist saying. Spot shoulders stiffened, but otherwise he acted as if he hadn't heard. *He and Jack must be from the same family, so high and mighty,* Calli glanced at Kid Blink. *Glad it didn't rub off on him, goes to show that there are some nice people still here.* The rest of the day was spent following Spot around as he introduced them to his newsies proudly. "Dis here is Carrot, Clips, Kix, Curlz, Flips...." He continued on and on, seeming to never stop for air.  
  
~*~*~*~*~  
  
"That was so boring," Calli exclaimed, dropping onto one of the bunks.  
  
Kid Blink looked at her in disapproval. "Well, you sure didn't do much to help yer reputation. Why do you always pick fights wit' people who jist want ta get ta know you?"  
  
"I don't. Just Jack and Spot, and all the other 'leaders'." Calli pulled off her boots and headed into the washroom.  
  
"Hey, Blink!" Calli called out suddenly.  
  
"Yeah?"  
  
"Are there any girl newsies?"  
  
"One."  
  
*Great! Maybe then they'll accept me as a girl, too.* "Who?"  
  
"A goil named Michaela, in Brooklyn."  
  
"Why didn't I see her today?"  
  
"She was probably off with Clips, one of her best friends."  
  
"Oh. Why isn't there any girls here in Manhattan?"  
  
"Michaela's different. She can fight."  
  
"Any other reason Michaela's different?"  
  
"Two."  
  
*Being talkative, isn't he?* Calli thought sarcastically. "They are..." she pressed.  
  
"Well, for one Curt, Michaela is gorgeous. She is simply beautiful, and all the boys like her so much they want her around."  
  
*Weellll, I'm not sure if I'm gorgeous, but I am pretty, maybe I have a chance,* Calli thought hopefully. "What's the other reason?"  
  
"She's Spot's twin."  
  
Calli's hopes deflated immediately and she tried not to be too depressed. *Family advantages,* she sighed gloomily.  
  
~*~*~*~*~  
  
Calli and Kid Blink decided to expand their selling spot the following morning. They slowly made their way into a richer part of town filled with restaurants and upper-class people.  
  
Towards noon Blink looked up from his papers mischievously and beckoned to Calli. "You wanna see if they will let us hard-working newsies inta one of dese restaurants?"  
  
Calli nodded evilly and they both subconsciously brushed the dirt off their faces and clothes. They straightened their shoulders and pushed open one of the doors to a restaurant. They succeeded in sneaking past the waiter and were almost to a table, when Calli spotted someone that made her blood run cold.  
  
*  
  
Callicia adjusted her red silk dress and carefully sat down on the bench swing beside Thomas. "Sooo...how are you doing?" The boy hunched his shoulders even more and appraised her with narrowed eyes. "Huh." Callicia gave up and threw her gloved hands into the air in frustration. "Look. I don't like talking to you anymore than you do to me, but since we have our future planned out ahead of us and there is nothing we can do to change it, we might as well become friends. That's what your uncle wants you to do." "So? Do I care?"  
  
*  
  
The next minute, Kid Blink was chasing Calli down the street. "CURT!!!! HEY CURT!!!!! WHERE ARE YOU GOING????"  
  
Calli wasn't paying any attention. She blindly shoved her way through the crowd, desperate to get back to the Lodging House. *Maybe it wasn't even Thomas. No, it must have been, no one in the world looks like Thomas when he is having a bad day. How could he have been there? You're right, he wouldn't be in Manhattan, that wasn't him, Calli. Yes it was!*  
  
Kid Blink finally caught up with her and pulled on her arm. She spun around with a crazed expression in her eyes which diminished when she saw it was only him.  
  
She wrenched her arm out of his grasp, and hissed, "WHAT??" Calli didn't wait for a reply and just ran straight to the Lodging House.  
  
~*~*~*~*~  
  
"I tell ya, it was weird. He just ran away and acted like he didn't even hear me when I talked to him." Blink shook his head and laid his cards on the table.  
  
Race put down his cards triumphantly and gathered the winnings. "Maybe Curt saw something."  
  
"I know," Kid Blink rolled his eyes exasperatedly, "that's what I've been trying ta say."  
  
"He hasn't talked ta anyone since he came barreling in heah two days ago." Bumlets commented, dealing out the cards again.  
  
"Maybe meetin' someone new would take his mind off of whatever is wrong." Jack suggested.  
  
"Like who?"  
  
"I don't know. Ask Blink, he's practically best friends wit' da guy."  
  
"Well," Kid Blink began nervously, "he asked some questions about Michaela aftah he met Spot."  
  
The boys stopped what they were doing and looked at him, blinking rapidly. Suddenly, the room burst into an uproar.  
  
"Is dat a good thing?"  
  
"You know how protective Spot is."  
  
"I wouldn't advise it."  
  
"Nahhh...Michaela might go fer his looks, he's got dat new young-boy look about him."  
  
"Michaela likes fighters anyway, so we got nothin' ta worry about. Not dat I like her or anything."  
  
"Dat wouldn't make Clips happy. I t'ink he likes her."  
  
"What was he askin' 'bout her?"  
  
"Did he seem interested?"  
  
"HEY! Quiet down, if it'll take his mind off his problem, den I t'ink we should introduce dem." Jack said, his voice rising commandingly above the rest. Jack had dated her when she first came, but she had dumped him, and he had never completely forgiven her for that humiliation. There were many others, which he would have loved to repay, yet the fact that she was Spot's brother posed a problem. So, to him, it seemed a good way to get two of his least favorite people out of the way.  
  
The rest of the newsies knew better than to object, so as a result, the following afternoon was spent in Brooklyn. 


	5. Practical Jokes

Author's Note: Wow, dis is an incredibly long chaptah. Not bad if I do say so myself.Well, peoples I haven't been gettin' many reviews lately, but Thankyou ever so much ta Vix who did review, an' please everyone staht ta review!  
  
  
  
Chapter 5:  
  
Calli stared at the girl in front of her. From the front, she could be Spot. Her figure was covered mostly by a loose shirt, pants, and suspenders. Actually, come to think of it, she was dressed in the exact same style as Spot, except her clothes were just a bit looser. Her face was dirty, yet you could tell that her facial features were just right. Her hair was pulled back in a braid, and she watched the Manhattan newsies alertly. Her eyes rested on Jack, and Calli detected a small hint of amusement in those ice blue eyes. Her attitude towards Calli was bored, and she looked around for better prey. Spot put his hand on her shoulder and came up next to her.  
  
He smirked half-proudly and looked at Calli. "So dis is Michaela." Spot looked at his twin and gestured towards Calli, "Michaela, dis is Curt." The girl jumped, startled and looked at Calli as if seeing her for the first time. "Hi."  
  
A brown-haired boy who was slightly older-looking and taller than Michaela joined her protectively. Michaela turned her head towards him and stretched out her hand. He placed a slingshot in it, and she looked at Calli. "Coming?"  
  
The following several hours were spent with Michaela unsuccessfully trying to teach Calli how to shoot a slingshot.  
  
~*~*~*~*~  
  
After that first afternoon, Calli spent alot of time in Brooklyn, trying to perfect her shooting. To most of the newsies, it looked like Calli was falling in love with Michaela, but actually, nothing could be farther from the truth. Calli enjoyed going to Brooklyn and swimming or using a slingshot. She felt safer moving around, just in case Thomas really was in Manhattan.  
  
Eventually however, she got over her case of nerves, and settled back into her regular Manhattan routine. One stormy night, she and 'her boys', as she had come to think of them, were thinking of a way to sneak out of the Lodging House and wander the streets, having fun.  
  
"We could just climb out da window." Bumlets.  
  
"Nahhh...Kloppman's office window is right below da roof." Race.  
  
"Go down da stairs and slip out?" Snipeshooter.  
  
"Kloppman would see us." Kid Blink.  
  
"Go one at a time out da back door." Skittery.  
  
"Da back door's locked at night." Itey.  
  
"Or...we could climb onto the roof and crawl across to the other side of the building and climb down." Calli.  
  
The boys looked at each other.  
  
"Oh, well yeah, we could do dat."  
  
"I was just about ta say dat, how'd ya guess?"  
  
"Well, I guess, if it's da best youse could come up with."  
  
Calli just rolled her eyes and picked up her rope. "Remind me again, why don't we just ask Kloppman?"  
  
"He doesn't allow us out past eleven, especially not ta play pranks on people," Kid Blink replied, slipping out the window.  
  
"Why is Jack out then?"  
  
"Oh, he's not supposed ta, but he'll manage ta get out of it somehow," Race informed her, pulling his hat on tighter and taking his turn at the window.  
  
Once they were all safely on the ground, they headed for the refuge. The guard was at the other side of the archway in front of the refuge, so the newsies managed to climb up the building unnoticed and blocked by the shadows.  
  
They reached the roof, and Race lowered Calli until she was level with the office window. She signaled up and pried open the window. Calli glanced around the room furtively and, satisfied, climbed through and quietly put her feet on the ground.  
  
Calli carefully walked across the room towards the file cabinet. She opened a drawer, and winced as the drawer creaked noisily. *Great, just advertise to everyone your here.*  
  
She listened for a minute or two, but when nothing happened, turned her attention back to the folders. She flipped through them and located one that read "LOCAL CRIMINALS", in big print on the front.  
  
She quickly opened it and scanned the contents. Inside was a picture of the newsies with Jack's face circled, and then some information on him. "His real name is Francis Sullivan?" She asked out loud, surprised. Calli covered her mouth immediately and looked around.  
  
Their were other newsies in there too, such as Race, Blink, Crutchy, Spot, and many others. *Well, this won't do at all, can't have evidence against them in here.*  
  
Calli walked over to the window and whistled, and a single sheet of rolled up paper dropped into her hands. Calli unrolled the paper and put it in the very front of the folder. *That fits just fine.*  
  
On the paper was Snyder's name, a picture, and some "true information", that they had put together hastily. Calli grinned in delight at what Snyder would do when he found it, and hastily shoved it back into the file cabinet, and slammed it shut. As she did, a piece of paper fluttered to the floor from the desk.  
  
Calli picked it up, and started to put it back on the desk, when she saw herself staring back at her. She jumped and examined the page nervously. There she was, in a blue fashionable dress, with her hair piled on top of her head, and a few stray ringlets framing her face. She was looking at the camera seriously, because she hated to smile for cameras. Calli saw the newspaper article about her on the back, her full name, and some background information on her. In big letters at the top were written, IMPORTANT. Calli also saw a picture of her father above the words, "Deceased. Bankrupt due to gambling debts."  
  
*  
  
Callicia tried to see through the tears that streaked down her face as her father's coffin was laid in the ground. His death had not come as a shock, for he had always been sick, but it still hurt.  
  
Later that day, Calli heard yelling coming from Hearst's office. "I can't have my son marrying a poor girl! She'd ruin us!"  
  
A deep voice spoke up, "That is why we must follow through with the plan."  
  
There was a pause, and Callicia could hear Hearst's breathing slow down. "Do you have everything ready?"  
  
"Yes, the Detention Center understands the orders. She is not to be released under any circumstances, and she will be put into a separate cell."  
  
"Good, good. And did you give them a convincing story?"  
  
"Yes, I told them she had attempted to steal valuable jewelry, Thomas had caught her, and she had tried to kill him. She is a dangerous criminal and thief, they seemed to buy it, and even if they didn't, they still won't give us any trouble."  
  
Callicia's eyes widened and she gasped as she realized what they meant to do to her. All talk immediately stopped in the room. She could hear footsteps coming towards the door from the office, and she fled down the hallway. They saw her running and quickly caught up with her, not hindered by skirts as she was.  
  
"I won't! You can't make me, I'm not a thief!" Callicia screamed and kicked at them.  
  
"Oh, yes, we can." Hearst said as he came up to her, and nodded to somebody behind her.  
  
That was the last thing she remembered before she woke up in the refuge, in streetrat's clothes.  
  
*  
  
Calli shook herself and folded the piece of paper, quickly putting it into her pocket. *Okay, back to reality.* She ran to the window, and was just about to climb out, when the door opened and Snyder walked in. He noticed her, and froze for a second.  
  
Calli yelled, "Let the rope down! Hurry!"  
  
Snyder snapped out of it and blew a whistle. He ran across the room and grabbed her, just as she was climbing out of the window. *Oh, my gosh, I'm dead.*  
  
Calli looked at him frantically, and stared in horror at the door, as guards filled the room. " Quick! Help you guys!"  
  
Snyder yanked her onto the floor and shut the window. NO!! She thought despairingly. The guards tied her to a chair, while Snyder rummaged through everything looking for what was missing. Calli stared at him, *please don't find it, please don't find it, not yet.* Fortunately, he skipped right over the file when he went through. Not seeing anything missing, he turned to her angrily.  
  
A mean look crossed his face, and he turned to the guards. "Get out."  
  
Several minutes later, only Calli and Snyder were in the room, and she stared at him defiantly.  
  
Snyder frowned, "You know, I know most of the criminals around here, but I don't think I recognize you."  
  
Calli smirked at first, then widened her eyes, *Uhoh, what if he finds that page is missing? He'll sure know that that's me...* At that moment, her hair slid out of her customary bun at the back of her head, and her hat slid off. Calli groaned inwardly, *All the scuffling around must have loosened the bun.....great. Just great.*  
  
Snyder stared at her, as if trying to match a face, and then grinned. He picked up her hat, and handed it to her politely. "Your hat, Miss Callicia."  
  
Calli winced, *This is definitely not good. Well, it's back to jail for me.*  
  
"Well, this is a fine predicament." Snyder said slyly, obviously pleased with the situation. "Hmmm...what should I do now?" He tapped his fingers to his chin in fake thoughtfulness.  
  
"I could return you to The Queens Youth Detention Center...but no, because with you here I could get money for your care... Oh, decisions, decisions."  
  
She stared at him like he was crazy. Snyder looked at her and began rearranging papers on his desk. "You see, Miss Callicia, I know all about you. Even though Hearst tries to pretend you are a thief, you're really not."  
  
Snyder saw the question in her eyes and smiled sardonically. "I know that you are wondering how I know this. You see, Hearst isn't very smart. Sticking someone into the refuge with special orders causes a lot of attention from his enemies.  
  
"After a little checking up on you, I found out everything."  
  
Snyder suddenly straightened and dismissed Hearst with a wave of his hand. "Well, now the question is, do I want to keep you here in my refuge, or hold you as a ransom to Hearst. I'm sure that it wouldn't look good for Hearst if it gets around that he put his future daughter-in-law in the refuge, simply because her father died penniless. I think he would pay a nice sum of money if I could give you to him safe and sound, don't you?"  
  
Throughout this speech, Calli sat angrily glaring at him. *Well, now I know that there is no hope he will put me in a regular cell, which I can easily get out of, if it means money for him.*  
  
*I'm doomed,* she wailed inwardly.  
  
Suddenly, Snyder stood up. "I am going to contact Hearst. I'll be back shortly so don't try anything."  
  
He began to walk out of the room, then as a second thought, tucked her hair back into her hat, so she looked like a boy again. "I don't want anyone walking in here and recognizing you before I get back. That would ruin everything for me."  
  
~*~*~*~*~  
  
Several moments later, Calli heard a gentle tapping on the window. She quickly twisted around. Kid Blink and Race were at the window staring in at her.  
  
Calli dragged her chair closer to the window and realized she could hear them. "We're goin' ta try ta open da window, hold on."  
  
Calli sighed with relief and disgust at herself. *I can't believe I didn't think of them earlier. Of course they can open the window on the outside, that's what I did!* Calli tried loosening the ropes around her so it would be easier for them to cut her loose, but gave up when the strain proved too much.  
  
The boys pried the window open easily, and jumped inside. Race ran over to her and knelt down to cut the ropes. Soon, they fell free of her and she stood up quickly. She followed them out the window.  
  
"Did he notice da page yet?" Kid Blink asked as they climbed up the rope.  
  
"No, he skipped right over it."  
  
"Good, he'll go crazy trying ta figuah out why youse were in dere."  
  
~*~*~*~*~  
  
As they were walking towards the Lodging House, Calli casually asked questions to see if they had seen her with her hair down.  
  
"So, when did you come down?"  
  
Kid Blink stretched his arms and looked down the street. "We weren't sure what was happenin', and when we fin'lly managed ta get down where we could see t'ings, Snyder was leaving da room. You know da rest."  
  
Calli let her breath out and grinned. *Thank goodness, I'm still safe.*  
  
Race looked at them and laughed, "You wouldn't think dat we jist pulled a prank and got away wit' it, would you?"  
  
Calli laughed, "You're right, we do look like we just had the hardest day in the world. Well, we better lighten up," she said, nodding her head towards the figure standing disapprovingly in the doorway of the Lodging House. "and come up with a good alibi."  
  
Race groaned, "Jack jist had ta notice we were gone, didn't he?"  
  
When they reached him, Jack merely pointed inside. They walked sheepishly in the door and sat down on some chairs, waiting for Jack's tirade.  
  
"Where were youse?" Jack asked, his anger clearly showing.  
  
"What does it matter to you?" Calli asked haughtily. Kid Blink put a hand on her arm to calm her.  
  
Jack ignored her and looked at Blink and Race. Race fiddled with his cigar for a moment, putting it in and out of his mouth, and finally, under the direct gaze of Jack, hung his head.  
  
"Well, we kinda went ta see Snyder."  
  
"YOU WHAT?!" Jack asked, surprised. Kid Blink looked at him hesitatingly, "We had dis great prank idea." He explained the prank slowly, hoping that Jack wouldn't be mad.  
  
Jack's frown faded, and he grinned, "Oh, an' you didn't let me come?"  
  
Suddenly, he scowled again. "Did ya get caught?" He could tell by the looks on their faces as they were coming towards the Lodging House that something was wrong.  
  
"Not exactly," Calli began, "Snyder walked in while I was leaving, but he left the room and we escaped."  
  
Race glanced towards her, "Curt, what took so long anyway? I mean, what were youse talkin' 'bout?"  
  
Calli shrugged her shoulders casually, "Oh, he jist wanted ta brag." *Please let them leave it at that...*  
  
Fortunately, they didn't question her. Jack stood up, "All right, we gotta sell tomorrow, come on."  
  
As they walked by the office, Kloppman called out warningly, "You guys better not be late anymore."  
  
Calli sighed happily as she flopped down onto her bed, *It's good to be home after the threat of the refuge.*  
  
Calli tensed suddenly, realizing that she had better not get too comfortable with the Lodging House and the newsies, if she wanted her identity to remain a secret. *When did I start calling this place home?* 


	6. Flirt

AN: Don't cha love me? Please review everyone, perty please!  
  
Chapter 6:  
  
"Curt! Blink!" Race called out the next day as the pair walked away from the Distribution Office.  
  
They turned around, "Yeah?"  
  
"We're goin' ta Medda's tanight, wanna come?"  
  
Calli glanced at Blink questioningly, while he looked at Race like he had grown a second head. "Of course we're goin', do ya think I'd miss it?"  
  
Race shrugged and hurried away to the racetracks. Calli looked up at Kid Blink. "Who's Medda?"  
  
He looked at her and grinned, "You'll just have ta see."  
  
~*~*~*~*~  
  
Later that day, when they were finished selling, Kid Blink took her over to a theater. "C'mon, Curt, hurry. Da shows startin'."  
  
Calli glanced at the sign in front of the building. It had a picture of a red-haired woman in a purple dress, and it said, *Miss Medda Larkson, Swedish Meadowlark.*  
  
Calli frowned at it, *Looks like she's a flirt.*  
  
"Hey, Blink, who is she?" After a moment she spun around, looking for him, "Blink? Blink???" *Where is he?* Darting inside amidst the crowds of people, she scanned the audience quickly. *Nope, no newsies.*  
  
Suddenly, a woman came out from behind the curtains, and Calli recognized the woman from the picture. Shouts, whistles, and catcalls filled the air. Calli recognized Blink's voice as one of those yelling. She tilted her head to get the direction of the noise, and saw all of the newsies on one of the balconies. Kid Blink and Mush were swinging out from the balcony with one hand on the rail, and she scowled at them, even though they couldn't possibly see her.  
  
Calli spotted a staircase and hurried up to them and sat down. Blink didn't even notice she was there, because he was busy staring at Medda. *Jealous, Calli?* A little voice taunted her, seeming to come from nowhere. *No, I am not. I just think he is making a fool of himself, and I wouldn't want to be seen with him right now,* she replied, defensively.  
  
*Right, Calli, whatever...* The voice said sarcastically.  
  
*Oh, go away and shut up.*  
  
Only then did Calli notice that Medda wasn't just parading in front of the crowds, but she was also singing. *She sings okay, on tune at least.* Calli admitted grudgingly.  
  
After awhile, which seemed like forever to Calli, who was watching every single newsie protectively, the performance was over.  
  
Kid Blink, Mush, and others who had somehow found their way to swinging over the crowds, hanging on to the railing and singing along, climbed over again and began slowly heading down the stairs. Calli followed when she realized, slightly hurt, that Blink had still not noticed she was there.  
  
A sense of dread came over her as she saw they were all heading towards the star of the night. The boys were all fawning over Medda as she laughed gaily with them. Calli glared at them all, and watched Blink like a hawk.  
  
*If he gets close to her, I'll just interrupt casually,* she decided. A little voice immediately began tormenting her.  
  
*Oh, aren't we protective of our 'friend' today, Calli?* Calli glowered at Medda, pretending she was the source of the voice. *Shut up, I'm in no mood for this.*  
  
Kid Blink put his arm around Medda's shoulders and grinned. Medda laughed. Calli fumed.  
  
Calli slowly made herself relax, scolding herself. *It's not as if Kid Blink is yours, or anything.*  
  
Suddenly, Blink glanced up and noticed Calli. "Oh, Curt!" He slid his arm off of Medda's shoulders and ran up to Calli, pulling her with him to meet Medda. Calli rubbed at the dirt on her hands subconsciously.  
  
"Medda, dis is da new newsie, Curt."  
  
Medda smiled at Calli and shook her hand. "It is very nice to meet you, Curt."  
  
Calli looked at her and muttered, "Same here."  
  
Kid Blink looked at Calli in surprise for a moment, then turned his attention back to Medda. "Medda, youse sounded beautiful when you sang dat song."  
  
Medda smiled, "Why, thank you, Kid Blink."  
  
*That's it, I can't take any more of this.* Calli turned around and stomped out of the theatre, with many puzzled pairs of eyes following her.  
  
Calli breathed deeply when she stepped outside, trying to cool her temper. *Now you did it. You went and made a fool of yourself, just because you're jealous of Medda.*  
  
Calli shook her head to clear it and walked slowly back to the Lodging House.  
  
When she got there, she climbed out the window and sat on the roof. Calli put her head on her knees and sighed. *Oh, I so want to be a girl again. The one time I really want to be a girl, I can't. It's so unfair.*  
  
~*~*~*~*~  
  
The next morning, Calli awoke to find Kid Blink leaning over her. She sat up and looked around the roof. "I guess I must have fallen asleep up here." She rubbed her eyes and glanced at him. "What time is it?"  
  
"The other boys have awready left. I stayed and let youse sleep. We're on'y 'bout thoity minutes late, we can still get papes."  
  
Calli nodded and crawled back through the window and went into the washroom. She quickly got changed and met Kid Blink outside.  
  
Kid Blink kept looking sideways at her, as if he wanted to ask her something but wouldn't. *I wish he would just say it.*  
  
At the same time, he stopped and looked at her. "Curt, why didn't you like Medda?"  
  
Startled, Calli looked at him. "Oh, um.why do you ask?"  
  
"C'mon. You didn't talk to her, kept glaring at her, and you were awfully quiet the entire time." Calli looked up swiftly at that, realizing that he had noticed. "And you left really quickly."  
  
Calli remained silent, hoping he would drop the subject.  
  
After awhile, Blink stopped and stared at her. "Well?"  
  
Calli sighed and shrugged, "I don't know. I just don't like her."  
  
Kid Blink gazed at her, searching her eyes for a sign of what she was really thinking. Calli shifted to her other foot uncomfortably and rubbed at her face.  
  
Kid Blink watched her and sighed inwardly. *There is somet'in' really strange 'bout dis kid. He's not natural actin'. It's like he's readin' off a script, 'r somet'in'.* Kid Blink ran his fingers through his hair in frustration. .  
  
Before they knew it, they were at the Distribution Office. Both bought their newspapers silently and began selling without so much as another word.  
  
~*~*~*~*~  
  
Calli and Kid Blink walked into Tibby's and looked around the room for Race. They spotted him at the same time and sat down at the table with him in relief. Calli listened to his chatter gratefully. *I haven't spoken to Blink since this morning. I wonder what he's thinking about.*  
  
As soon as they were finished with their meal, Calli looked at Racetrack pleadingly. "Do you wanna sell with us, Race?"  
  
Race put his cigar in his mouth and was about to say no thanks, but seeing both her and Kid Blink's faces looking at him as if he was their only link to sanity stopped him. "Umm, how about you guys come to the races wit' me?"  
  
"Okay." Calli said quickly, gathering up her newspapers and ducking out the door before he could change his mind.  
  
Kid Blink followed, leaving Race behind to stare at them, curious. *Oookay..* He shrugged and hurried to catch up with them.  
  
~*~*~*~*~  
  
Race made another half-hearted attempt at a joke, looking at the two on either side of him obviously try to avoid each other.  
  
Calli laughed hysterically a minute later, having no clue what the joke was.  
  
Kid Blink smiled, but his mind was elsewhere.  
  
All in all, it was a pretty sad group.  
  
They looked up in relief as they reached the racetrack, and quickly dashed off separately to sell.  
  
Calli moved throughout the crowd of onlookers and gamblers, calling out headlines and collecting money. She paused as the shouts grew louder, turning to the rail, and watched a beautiful black racehorse cross the finish line with millimeters to spare.  
  
*Well since everyone has there money out, I'm sure they could spare some.* she thought, hurrying into the cheering crowd. She yelled a headline and waved a newspaper in the air.  
  
One of the winners held out a nickel to her carelessly, joking with his friends. She smiled to herself and reached for a newspaper, looking up at him to thank him. Her words died on her lips as they stared at each other.  
  
Sharp black eyes stared into bright green ones, and recognition hit.  
  
"Thomas." she whispered, her life seeming to drain out of her as shock and fear filled her, making her unable to move.  
  
Thomas looked at her in surprise for a moment, searching, making sure it was really her. She whispered his name and he jumped up, yelling to a guard near him.  
  
He grabbed her arm in a death grip and smirked angrily at her, as she turned ghostly white, fear flitting across her face. He hissed under his breath to her, "What have we here?"  
  
~*~*~*~*~  
  
Kid Blink looked helplessly at Race, who had him cornered against a wall, staring skeptically at him. "C'mon. I know somet'in' was wrong.what was it?"  
  
Blink sighed and pocketed several pennies listlessly. "I dunno. He jist froze up."  
  
Race rolled his eyes, "Ya gotta know more den dat, I.oof!"  
  
A guard knocked him to the ground in his hurry and ran past him. Kid Blink helped Racetrack up and they looked around. Several guards were running towards the boxes.  
  
Kid Blink grinned at Race in excitement and grabbed his arm. "C'mon! Let's see what's goin' on!"  
  
They ran through the crowd and climbed the stands, straining their eyes to see. Kid Blink drew in his breath sharply and nudged Kid Blink, pointing to a place in the stands where Curt was standing, held by the arm by a brown-haired man, who was whispering something angrily to him. Curt was completely white and was standing stock still, oblivious to the chaos going on around him.  
  
Kid Blink looked at Race helplessly. "Uh oh."  
  
Race shook him and pointed to the guards, "C'mon! We have ta get ta Curt befoah da bulls do!"  
  
Kid Blink nodded and they dodged and pushed their way up to the boxes. Race ran up behind Thomas and tapped him on the back. He spun around and Race punched him.  
  
Kid Blink grabbed Curt by the arm and started pulling him away. Curt just stared at him blankly.  
  
Race glanced up at him, "Dang it! Blink, shake 'im hard!" He ducked a punch from Thomas and kicked him, knocking him backwards several feet.  
  
Calli looked at him and life came back into her, color flooding her face. *Oh, my gosh, I'm safe. It was just a dream,* She grasped Kid Blink by the arm, drawing in deep breaths to calm herself  
  
Kid Blink glanced over his shoulder at the police moving in and looked back at Curt's face. *Sawry, Curt,* he thought, and slapped him across the face.  
  
Curt started and looked around, taking in his surroundings with one look. He took off, running as fast as he could away from the track.  
  
They ran away from the racetrack and dashed through Central Park. Police officers came after them, and they weaved in and out of the crowds and through alleys, hoping to lose them.  
  
After what seemed like hours, they lost the police and sat down on the grass to rest. Kid Blink looked around and laughed, "Well, we're back in Central Park."  
  
Then he looked at Curt and frowned. "Curt, what 'appened back dere?"  
  
Calli gasped out, "I.I can't.He can't be here!" She whispered, eyes losing focus. She looked up at them fiercely all of a sudden, and said, "He can't find me!" She jumped up and ran back to the Lodging House.  
  
~*~*~*~*~  
  
Race and Kid Blink burst into the Lodging House and looked around in panic. "Where's Curt?" Race asked a startled Kloppman.  
  
"He's, well, he's upstairs."  
  
They ran up the stairs and sank to the floor in relief as they saw him sitting on his bed, surrounded by concerned newsies.  
  
Jack looked over at them and sighed, "Good, yer here. Now could someone please tell us what 'appened?"  
  
The two shrugged and Blink pointed to Calli. "We don't know. Ask him."  
  
Calli didn't hear them, whispering over and over again. "Thomas! Why here? Why now?"  
  
Jack motioned the other newsies out of the room, and only Kid Blink, Racetrack and Jack stayed, watching Calli worriedly.  
  
She suddenly noticed them and kind of half-smiled, staring at a spot on the wall. "I thought it was a nightmare."  
  
Kid Blink and Race sat down on both sides of her, Jack crossed his arms. "What's goin' on?"  
  
*Oh, boy, this isn't good.* She sat up straight and managed a grin at him. "Um, nothing, just a bad sale."  
  
Jack rolled his eyes, and opened his mouth.  
  
Kid Blink looked up and cut him off. "Who's Thomas?"  
  
Calli rocked back on her heels, startled, and looked at him with rising panic. "Um.Thomas? I dunno."  
  
They looked at her in disbelief and she stood up, irritated. "You know what, guys? I appreciate your concern, but I really can't tell you. When and IF I ever can, you three will be the first to know. Okay?"  
  
She turned on her heel and stormed out of the room. Jack looked taken aback for a moment, then jumped up and called down the stairs. "What do you mean by dat?!"  
  
Calli merely shrugged her shoulders and ran out into the street.  
  
  
  
Author's Note: Well, how are ya'll? I bet you were aboutta leave, weren't cha? I caught you red-handed! Stop right there, and go down to that little blue button and review! C'mon, all ya have ta say is Good story, or bad story, nothing more.(well, if you wanted to write more, go ahead, but simply too words at least is all I ask!) I'll write quicker if I get more reviews!!!! 


	7. uh, curt...

Author's Note: Hey ya'll! I want to say thanks to those people who have reviewed.. Thankyou all so much, and you really help me to get beyond writer's block and all. Oh, and thanks to Valerie and Diana, sorry for not having a specific note, but I can't figure out how to get my computer to help me, so I can't figure out what your reviews said at the moment..sorry! Thankyou though! Slick- Thanx, yep, good story goes a long way, but great story does go farther.. Irish Fury- Yep, well, ya wanna know when they find out? Read this chapter.(hehehe) KATT- Thankee ever so much! I did, I did!  
  
  
  
Chapter 7:  
  
The next morning, Calli rolled out of bed sleepily at the crack of dawn. She looked at the patch of sunlight on the wall, thinking about the past day's events. *C'mon, Calli, you have ta get over it. Thomas was probably only there for one day, anyway. No reason to get bent out of shape.* She nodded her head firmly in resolve to get back to normal.  
  
*Things would be soo much easier if I didn't have to wake up earlier than everyone,* she grumbled as she padded across the room.  
  
Calli walked into the wash room and glanced at the mirror, then continued on to the stalls. Suddenly, she stopped and walked slowly back to the mirror. What she saw stopped her dead in her tracks. She stared at the dirty-faced boy in the mirror with sleepy eyes and rough skin. She held her hands out and looked at them. Instead of clean hands, they were now dirty and callused with broken nails. Calli pulled her hat off and surveyed the mess of tangles in front of her. *I look like a monster.* She pulled her fingers through it, trying to get out the worst of the tangles.  
  
Calli sighed hopelessly as she looked in the mirror again, noting the difference between what she looked like now and earlier.  
  
She forced herself to think about that for a minute. With a twinge of guilt, she realized that she hadn't really been caring much what she looked like lately, because of everything going on and living with a bunch of boys. *Well,* she thought with determination, *even though I live with boys and am supposed to be one, that doesn't mean I have to look like I just came out of a pile of mud.*  
  
Calli dipped her hands into the sink and scrubbed with soap until her hands felt numb. She splashed water on her face and scoured it with soap, until it smarted.  
  
*Well, I guess that's the best I can do right now,* Calli thought as she quickly donned the clothes she had borrowed from Kid Blink, a white, blue-striped shirt, pants, and hat and headed down the stairs as the other newsies woke up.  
  
~*~*~*~*~  
  
Jack called out to Kid Blink and Calli as they walked towards Central Park. He ran over to them and hefted his newspapers up.  
  
"Curt's gonna sell wit' me taday. I don't want a repeat of yestoiday."  
  
Calli looked coldly at Jack, but Kid Blink nodded and agreed. "Good idea. Bye, Curt!"  
  
Calli looked at him in amazement, protesting, but he was already walking away. "But I-"  
  
Jack started walking. "Curt, are youse shore you don't wanna tell me what's goin' on?"  
  
Calli sighed, *I can tell that this is going to be a long day.* "Yes. I already told you that I can't tell you about it."  
  
To her great surprise, he nodded and dropped the subject.  
  
*Well, that sure was easier than I expected it to be.*  
  
~*~*~*~*~  
  
Throughout the day, Jack stuck close to Calli, who stuck close to crowds and getaway places.  
  
She scanned the crowd for Thomas and police, and nervously shouted a headline. *Geez, I'm jumpier than I've ever been in my entire life! C'mon, Calli, get a hold of yourself!*  
  
Someone tapped her on the back and she cried out. Turning around, she let her breath out as she saw a puzzled customer holding out a penny.  
  
"Oh, sorry, miss." Calli handed her the newspaper and put the money in her pocket. "Thank you, miss."  
  
Jack walked up to her and put his hands on her shoulders. "Curt, whoevah it was is not out ta get youse. You were jist a newsie in da wrong place at da wrong time. You can calm down."  
  
Calli looked at him and shook her head. "No, you don't get it. I." Her attention wandered as a carriage came down the street quickly. People jumped out of the way, and called out angrily, but their words died on their lips as many policemen came around the corner on horseback, following the carriage.  
  
She shrank back into the crowd instinctively, but Jack ran over to a bench and pulled her up beside him to see better. Calli took firm control of herself and shaded her eyes, peering at the carriage windows.  
  
Suddenly, a head poked out and Calli toppled over the bench in surprise. Jack jumped down in instinct, too. He hid his face as the police came by, but seeing Calli's face, he forgot about himself.  
  
"Curt! What's wrong?" He knelt down beside her.  
  
"Jack.that was Hearst!" She said breathlessly, more scared than he'd ever seen her.  
  
"Yeah, so?"  
  
"So I have to get out of here!" She scrambled to her feet and ducked into the crowd, keeping her back to the carriage as she made her way quickly towards an alley.  
  
Jack hurried to keep up with her and grabbed her arm. "Curt! Stop, slow down! T'ink 'bout it! Hearst might be terrible, but do you really t'ink he cares 'bout one newsie dat much?"  
  
Calli stopped for a minute and looked him in the eye. "Doesn't Pulitzer care about you 'dat much'?" Having made her point, she tried to go, but Jack held onto her.  
  
"Dat's completely different! I mean, Pulitzer knows who I am an' all 'bout me, an'. well, it's just different!"  
  
Calli stared at him and said quietly, "No, it's not. Not at all."  
  
Jack's eyes widened as she started to walk away. He yanked on her arm and pulled her back away from the crowd.  
  
"Whoa, whoa, hold on a minute. What was dat? What were youse."  
  
At that moment, every policeman began running towards them. Jack looked quickly at Hearst who was screaming frantically and pointing to Curt. He could barely make out the words, Callicia, and go!!!! go!!!.  
  
Calli, for her part, and gone completely still, then wrenched free from him and took off down the street. Jack glanced at the police and carriage who were following her and quickly caught up with her, shoving her down an alley way.  
  
"GO! QUICK! Over da wall! C'mon, hurry!" He gave her a boost and she clawed her way over, with him close behind.  
  
"GO!" He screamed, racing past Tibby's.  
  
~*~*~*~*~  
  
Kid Blink and Race simultaneously ran their fingers through their hair and looked out the window again. "Where are they?"  
  
"Relax." Itey said, taking a drink. "Dey'll be here soon."  
  
Whistles and shouts began outside, and every newsie in the room got up to look out the window. Two figures streaked past Tibby's in a blur, followed by what seemed like hundreds of policemen and a lone carriage.  
  
Kid Blink was out the door like lightning, calling over his shoulder as he went, "It's Jack and Curt!"  
  
Everyone jumped up, knocking over chairs in their haste to get outside. The dozens of newsies raced after Jack and Curt, distracting and confusing the policemen.  
  
~*~*~*~*~  
  
The policemen slowed after awhile and the captain walked tiredly back to Hearst.  
  
"Mr. Hearst? I'm sorry, sir, but my men cannot tell those newsies apart. They all look exactly the same running by."  
  
Hearst sighed and nodded agitatedly . "Well, at least we know for certain that she's here, not just a figment of Thomas' imagination."  
  
~*~*~*~*~  
  
Back at the Lodging House, the tired newsies dove for every available bed stretching out and groaning. As one, they all turned to look at Jack, who explained as much as he knew, then turned to look at Calli.  
  
After several minutes of silence, Kid Blink asked slowly, "Why is Hearst after you, Curt?"  
  
The rest of the newsies looked at her for an explanation.  
  
Calli looked at her feet and twisted her hands. *C'mon, it's now or never. You should have just done this in the beginning, you brought this upon yourself.*  
  
Finally, Calli looked up. "Because he wanted me to marry his nephew." She said quietly.  
  
The room suddenly became so still that you could have heard a pin drop. Race stared at her, speechless for once. he quickly recovered. "Uh, Curt.."  
  
Calli remained silent and bit her lip. *It's over,* she realized, sadly. Out of the depths of her self-pity, she noticed Kid Blink walking up to her. Looking up at his concerned face, she knew she would miss him most of all.  
  
His face slowly changed as comprehension dawned upon him, and he reached toward her hat. She stopped him, and resignedly brushed her hand up her forehead and back over her head, pulling her newsie hat off in the process. A cascade of frizzy white-blonde hair tumbled down to just above her waist, several pieces in her face, which she shook irritably out of the way.  
  
Calli looked around the room slowly as the boys mouths dropped open. Racetrack, Crutchy, Jack, Bumlets, Mush...all her friends. They now stared at her as if she was a total stranger, surprise, anger, glee, shock, and annoyance flitting across their faces. Now they would never accept her. Calli mustered up all her dignity and, raising her head slowly, ran out of the room.  
  
  
  
TO BE CONTINUED  
  
  
  
A.N.- Review! I'm having major writer's block and can't think of what to do to finish the story! I used to know but now I've forgotten, so only about 2 chapters beyond this one I've written then I'm stuck. I just need to finish it off, so please, help a poor stuck writer and review! You can give me advice about the ending!  
  
REVIEW~!!!!! 


	8. Close calls

Author's Note: Well, there should be only about two chapters left after this one. I've already basically finished the one directly after this, and if you review a lot, I might even post it up before I'm completely finished with the last one. Thank you so much to everyone who reviewed..  
  
Valeria: Here's more, and fairly fast too!  
  
Amber: I wrote more!  
  
Slick: Thanx for the advice, I kept that in mind while writing this chap.  
  
Mist: I hate cliffhangers too. But, well, I love writing them! (it gets great reviews)  
  
Irish Fury: yep, hehe  
  
Drama Queen: Yeah, I know, it was a relief to finally be able to have them know the truth, it was getting kinda old having her be a guy.  
  
Spark: I reviewed yours, madear, now it's your turn! (Oh, I got past that huge writer's block I had on this story, finally!)  
  
  
  
Chapter 8:  
  
The room was absolutely silent as she left. Kid Blink stood looking stunned at the door. I knew somet'in' wasn't right 'bout him, but.ya idiot, Blink! It was so obvious.an' he-she's one a me best friends.He slowly turned around and looked at the other newsies.  
  
Half of them looked furious, a fourth just still looked stunned, and another fourth were getting slick looks on their faces that meant that whatever they were thinking, it couldn't be good. A handful gave a low whistle, but were cut off by Jack.  
  
He turned on Race and Blink angrily.  
  
"Did youse know 'bout her?"  
  
Race shook his head adamantly, and Kid Blink just stared at the door.  
  
"Blink?"  
  
Kid Blink slowly shook his head. The rest of the newsies began to come back to life, raising eyebrows and saying that they had known it all along.  
  
Jack raised his face to the sky, throwing up his hands and groaning. "Oh, why me? A goil newsie!"  
  
Kid Blink automatically came to her defense. "Hey, she was a good newsie!"  
  
"But she was a goil! Dere aren't any goil newsies! Well, besides Michaela."  
  
Kid Blink rocked back on his heels and whispered, "DAT'S why she was so interested in Michaela!"  
  
Race lit a cigar and walked out of the room, muttering to himself. Jack sighed in annoyance and anger and turned to Kid Blink.  
  
"Oh, boy."  
  
~*~*~*~*~  
  
Calli ran down the street blindly, bumping in to people as she went.  
  
"Hey, watch it!"  
  
"Watch where you're going!"  
  
"What do you think you're doing?"  
  
"Streetrat!"  
  
Calli tripped off the curb and fell into the street. She sobbed uncontrollably, curled up in an unrecognizable heap. Suddenly, a carriage came into view and she looked up at it carelessly, tears streaming down her cheeks. *I've lost the only friends I've ever had, who I never really had, because they didn't know who I was,* she was beginning to think illogically, and came to the only possible conclusion. *Oh, I just want to die. Run me over and get rid of all my troubles, God, please!  
  
The carriage got closer and the driver didn't see her. Those nearest who could see her cried out in alarm at the miserable girl in the middle of the street who sat completely still, waiting for the impact.  
  
~*~*~*~*~  
  
Jack jumped up. "Callicia!"  
  
"Huh?" The newsies' heads swiveled around to him and Kid Blink grabbed his arm.  
  
"What?"  
  
Jack grinned excitedly, his voice raising. "When we were running, the police and Hearst were shouting, Callicia! I didn't pay much attention, but that's her name! Curt is Callicia!"  
  
Kid Blink sank back onto the pillow, rubbing his eyes, a curious satisfied feeling combining with the frustration. *Geez, that definitely sound high-class and stuck-up.*  
  
He gave a small grin and thought, *It fits.*  
  
~*~*~*~*~  
  
Calli closed her eyes and sadly smiled. The carriage was inches away from her, when a hand showed up out of nowhere and pushed her out of the street. The carriage rumbled past and Calli rolled away.  
  
She sat up in disappointment and her rescuer held his hand out angrily. "GEEZ, GOIL, YOUSE TRYIN' TA GET KILLED?" He asked as she took his hand and pulled herself up. "What were youse t'inkin'?"  
  
She looked up and jumped back. Spot Conlon dropped his cane in surprise and stared at her. "Curt?!"  
  
Calli spun around and ran away. Spot could of caught her in a second, but merely stared at her back and rubbed his eyes. "Geez, Spot, yer seein' t'ings."  
  
But when he looked back, he could still see the last of her hair disappear around the corner. "Okay, Spot." He said, picking up his cane and dusting it off. "Youse gotta go talk to Jack."  
  
~*~*~*~*~  
  
"Jack!" A voice yelled, running up the stairs. Jack jumped up and knocked into Spot as he burst into the room. The other newsies laughed nervously as they picked themselves up off the floor in embarrassment.  
  
Jack turned to Spot. "What?!"  
  
Spot caught his breath and took his time, regaining his composure. He scanned the room and his eyes rested on Kid Blink. "Where's yer friend?"  
  
Kid Blink glanced at Jack, who shook his head at Spot. "Nah-ah. I asked you first."  
  
Spot glared at him and shrugged. "Is dere somet'in' I need to know 'bout Curt?"  
  
The newsies stirred hesitatingly, and Jack shifted to his other foot. "Um.no. Why?"  
  
Spot rolled his eyes and threw his hands up in the air. "Because I jist saw a goil dat looked exactly like him, dat's why!"  
  
Kid Blink asked hurriedly, "Where?"  
  
"Oh, well, it don't mattah." Spot began to slowly walk out of the room, calling back over his shoulder. "It obviously wasn't Curt, if you guys don't t'ink not'in's wrong wit' him."  
  
Jack grabbed his friend's shoulder and dragged him back in the room. "Okay, okay. We jist found out Curt's really a goil. Her name's Callicia. Now, where did you see her?"  
  
Spot smirked and rubbed the top of his cane, enjoying himself. "Well, I came ovah ta talk ta youse, an' I see dis goil cryin' in a heap in da middle of da street. A carriage was comin' right at her an' she was jist watchin' it get closah." He glanced at Jack and his eyes widened dramatically.obviously he was fully enjoying himself. "What was weird, dough, is dat she was smilin'."  
  
Kid Blink, eyes wide, choked out, "What happened?"  
  
"Oh, she was hit."  
  
The newsies looked horrified and Kid Blink gasped. Jack rolled his eyes and raised an eyebrow at Spot.  
  
Spot laughed at the looks on their faces. "Geez, guys, I was jist kiddin'. Youse have absolut'ly no sense a humor."  
  
Various shades of red came into their faces and pillows flew across the room at him.  
  
"I shoved her out of da street jist in time, an' she seemed sorta disappointed. Den she looked up, an' we recognized each udder. She took off."  
  
Kid Blink stood up determinedly. "I have ta find her."  
  
Jack looked him in the eye and then looked around at the other newsies faces. He nodded, "I t'ink we all do."  
  
~*~*~*~*~  
  
Calli ran as far and as fast as she could. When she finally stopped for air, she looked around and gasped, backing away. Why did I run here?!  
  
The white swing swayed back and forth in the breeze, and the red roses growing around the posts began to lose their petals as the wind carried them away.  
  
Calli spun around, taking in all the flowers in the garden. Her garden. The garden that she had always ran to whenever she had a problem. The last time I was here was right after Father died. Why'd I come heah???  
  
Calli froze. A bluebird chirped merrily and Calli heard the soft sound of leaves crunching beneath someone's foot. She spun around and caught a glimpse of Thomas before she blacked out.  
  
~*~*~*~*~  
  
"Okay, Spot, you search around the Refuge. Skittery, Snoddy, you two go to the Central Park. Specs, Dutchy, Tibby's." Race walked into the room, pushed along by Mush.  
  
Jack jumped down from the stool and clapped Race on the back. "Good ta see ya. We're gonna go find Curt. Uh, Callicia."  
  
Race's face lit up and he put out his cigar. "Wheah do I look?"  
  
"You and Mush search da racetrack. Boots, Snaps, near heah, an' Swifty, Pie Eater, an' Itey, City Hall. Me an' Blink will look in deir sellin' place."  
  
Everyone looked at Jack, waiting for any other directions. He threw his hands up, "Whadda ya all waitin' fer? Go, go, go!"  
  
"Okay!"  
  
"See ya!"  
  
Jack stuck his head out the door and called to them, "Ev'rybody meet up at Tibby's in two hours!"  
  
"Awright!"  
  
~*~*~*~*~  
  
Calli opened her eyes and sat up. Blinding pain shot through her head and she groaned, cradling her head in her hands. "Owww."  
  
Several minutes later, once the pain had receded a small bit, she glanced up, and immediately laid her head back down on her knees, rubbing her eyes. Please let this be a dream. This can't be happening.  
  
She braced her shoulders, drew in her breath, and raised her head again. She stared around the office dully, taking in the cigar smoke, the fire, the red sofa, everything. Calli looked down at herself, half expecting to find herself in one of her rich dresses, as if the past several months had only been a bad dream, and she had finally woken up.  
  
  
  
  
  
A.N. - REVIEW!!!!!!!!!!! The more reviews I get, the quicker it will be posted! 


	9. almost rescued

Author's Note: Hey everyone! I'm almost finished, and I always speed up writing at the end of the story, so here's still more! Thankyou to the following faithful reviewers:  
  
Slick Irish Fury Rayne Amber Spark Valeria Drama-Queen  
  
  
  
Chapter 9:  
  
Calli's eyebrows drew together as she saw that she was still wearing the same outfit she had been wearing earlier that day. Her eyes narrowed and clouded to a stormy green as she heard the door open and click shut.  
  
"So, did you enjoy your little adventure?"  
  
Calli remained still, listening to Hearst's deep voice. It was filled with triumph and anger. Her silence seemed to anger him, and he walked over right in front of her and glared down at her. "Do you have any idea of the kind of trouble you caused me? Anyone could have recognized you- and you went traipsing around New York like a street rat! Which, I suppose, in a way you are now."  
  
He was silent for a minute as he appraised her ragged clothes and dirty face.  
  
"Well," he continued, brisk and businesslike, "I can see we'll have to find some other means of getting rid of you. We can't put you in the refuge because you will escape again. So, we've arranged for you to be sent away on a long vacation. We found a man that has agreed to marry you, his name is Sir Robert Ogden. He doesn't care much for wealth, so your poor status shouldn't upset him. He lives in Maryland, which is where you are heading."  
  
Calli looked up at him, fully aware of the fact that he would indeed send her to Maryland if she didn't stop him. A shifting noise drew her attention from the rest of his speech. She looked out of the corner of her eye and saw Thomas, slouched as usual into a comfy armchair. *Typical.*  
  
He noticed her looking at him and gave a lazy smirk, then closed his eyes and was still for so long she realized he must have drifted off to sleep. Hearst had left the room quietly sometime when she had been distracted. *I wonder where he.No, on second thought I don't wanna know.*  
  
~*~*~*~*~  
  
Snoddy and Skittery walked in, and all the newsies turned around hopefully. The two boys shook their heads and the big group sighed and anxiously waited for the rest to show up.  
  
Suddenly, the door swung open and the bell tinkled above it. Itey ran into Tibby's, followed by Pie Eater and Swifty. "Jack!"  
  
Jack spun around, his discouragement of before being replaced by anticipation. "What? What?!"  
  
"We saw Hearst!"  
  
Jack's excitement faded into disappointment again. "And." He said dully, sinking back into his chair.  
  
"No, Jack, we were lookin' neah City Hall an' all of a sudden dis big fancy black carriage pulls up. Well, we'se was curious, right? So we got a bit closah, an' all of a sudden, we'se heah Mistah Hearst talkin' 'bout Callicia and Maryland or somet'in' like dat. I t'ink he's got 'er."  
  
Jack grinned, "Great, somet'in' ta go on. Come ta t'ink of it, Hearst was da one chasin' us dat time.ok, we need a plan. Spot, ya know dat territory?"  
  
The Brooklyn leader rolled his eyes and smirked, "Awmost as well as I know Brooklyn."  
  
Jack nodded, "Ok, well we'se gonna need yer help."  
  
~*~*~*~*~  
  
Calli was beginning to get impatient. I mean, seriously, if they were going to kidnap her, couldn't they at least make it more interesting? She was recounting the tiles on the floor for the sixth time when two things happened at once.  
  
The first was that the door opened and Hearst stepped in, closing it softly behind him with a click. And the second thing was a dark form landing on the window outside, the thump muffled by the door.  
  
Calli scowled up at him, muttering under her breath, "About time."  
  
Hearst smiled, amused, "Oh, so sorry to keep you waiting."  
  
"That's alright, I know how long it takes you to do those small jobs. But don't worry, one day you'll get faster." Calli said snidely, trying to see what the ruckus was just outside the room.  
  
Hearst glared at her but beckoned to the people at the door. Several servants came in, a couple no older than Calli herself. One scurried over to her and untied the ropes with ease, obviously accumulated from much practice.  
  
~*~*~*~*~  
  
Jack watched the proceedings inside for a moment, then signaled to Spot, who in turn relayed the message to the rest of the newsies, Brooklyn and Manhattan, scattered on the roof and walls of the building.  
  
Jack took a deep breath and then slowly lowered himself down, beginning to swing gently back and forth. He nodded to Ropes, the Brooklyn newsie huddled in the shadows next to the closed window.  
  
"One.Two." Jack whispered.  
  
~*~*~*~*~  
  
Calli stood up, unsteady for a moment on her sore feet. She shook herself out, then turned to face Hearst again.  
  
"Nina, Gemma, would you please take Miss Callicia to get changed into some proper-"  
  
~*~*~*~*~  
  
"Three!" Ropes quickly flipped the latch and shoved open the window. Jack swung through the opening and knocked into Hearst, sending him flying to the floor. Jack jumped on top of him and held him onto the floor, "Ropes! Quick!"  
  
As Calli watched bewildered, hope growing inside her, newsies tumbled into the room, quickly overtaking the startled newsies and the sputtering Hearst. "Unhand me, you street trash! Get off me!"  
  
Kid Blink ran over to Calli and gave her a brief hug. She looked up at him, a tad guiltily, "Blink?"  
  
He nodded, avoiding her eyes.  
  
"I'm sorry," she whispered, watching him. He grinned at her and ruffled her hair, before walking over to Spot and Jack to help.  
  
The noise in the room stopped abruptly as Jack shouted, "Shaddup!"  
  
Every newsie glanced up at him, and he waved his arms. "Ok, t'anks everyone, let's head out quick an' quiet now. We ain't got much time before someone notices we'se heah."  
  
Most of the newsies went back out the window, only Calli, Blink, Jack and Spot remaining in the room. Ropes waited patiently outside. Jack had locked Hearst in the closet, gagged and bound, and the servants were tied up as well.  
  
Spot spit in his hand and held it out to her, and she did likewise, after only a split second's hesitation. He smirked at her, "Please try to stay outta streets from now on, goil, you could get killed!"  
  
Calli nodded. Jack smiled at her, "Well, Callicia, I suppose dat-"  
  
Calli cut him off, laughing, "Just Calli, I hate Callicia."  
  
"Ok, well-"  
  
Suddenly a creaking noise startled the four of them. The door swung open and Snyder stood there, staring at them, his eyes widening and his mouth stretching into a twisted smirk as he matched faces with famous names.  
  
Jack swore, running to the window and starting to climb out of it. "C'mon, guys!" he shouted, whistles shattering the piece of the large office room.  
  
Spot lithely swung out of the window and disappeared into the shadows of the roof, taking with him most of the Brooklyn newsies before anyone could blink an eye.  
  
Abruptly policemen poured into the room. Kid Blink and Calli jumped up on the windowsill, Blink leaping across to the other section of roof. Calli started to jump but slipped, a hand holding tightly to her foot.  
  
She looked down into the eyes of a policeman, and tried breaking her foot away from his grasp. By that time Ropes was trying to shut the window, crunching and breaking many of the bulls' fingers. Yells and pained screams filled the air. Only a foot of space between the two closing windows.  
  
*C'mon goil, two more feet and I'm home free.*  
  
She pulled with all her strength and managed to get half her body out the window, but was quickly pulled back by dozens of bulls.  
  
Calli barely saw the frustrated face of Ropes before he too disappeared from view, leaving her alone once again with Hearst and his minions.  
  
Snyder had released Hearst from the closet and was helping to brush him off. Hearst waved him away angrily, and marched up to Calli, saying in a voice hard as rock, "Tell those newboys of yours that you are going to Maryland, and that they must stop trying to rescue you."  
  
Calli looked at him haughtily, even though her arms were being held by policemen and she could barely move. "Why should I?"  
  
Hearst leaned close to her, "Because if you don't I will personally burn down their Lodging Houses and send the lot of them to jail."  
  
ALMOST FINISHED!!!!!!  
  
  
  
A.N.-Yay, only a little bit more to go!  
  
Ok, I have something to ask all of you. Me and Spark have started another website.The Uptown Lodging House. We aren't goin' ta post it until we get some lodgers, cause dere's a whole section devoted ta dem. So we need people ta join our lh. If yer interested, tell me in a review, an' I'll send you the "application". Thanks! 


	10. What does the future hold?

Author's Note: Ok, peoples, dis is da last chaptah!!!! Yay!! The next story in this story is Raising the Stakes. Oh, and everyone please please please read the bottom thing about the Uptown LH. Thanks to Slick, Amber and Vix for replying already!  
  
Shoutouts:  
  
Tiger-thanks!  
  
Slick- It's hard to make it realistic, but I'm glad it seems so to you. Thanks! An', heah, I hope this is soon enough.. (  
  
Irish Fury- Don't worry, her life gets bettah!  
  
Amber- Thanks!  
  
Spark- Why didn't you stay on? We could have gotten finally to the point where everything is practically done! Oh, I worked on the Newsie Woild one a bit, as well as Uptown. Check! Oh, gracias!  
  
Vix- Cliffhangers are evil..I updated fairly quick, don'tcha think?  
  
Drama-Queen - I know, it's sad, but I had to get everyone's hopes up and then make 'em come crashing down, it's fun! Bettah let ya read it befoah I give away anything!  
  
Sweets-Keep reading the stories, an' you'll find out what happens aftah Paving the Way.  
  
  
  
Chapter 10:  
  
Kid Blink sat on Calli's old bunk with his head in his hands. "We were so close," he groaned.  
  
The rest of the newsies were similarly depressed. Brooklyn had gone back to, well, Brooklyn, declaring that they had done their part and Manhattan needed to figure this one out on their one. Spot had, however, sent Ropes to stay with them until they managed to free Calli, if they ever did.  
  
Jack slipped his cowboy hat off, letting it hang from his neck. He leaned his forehead against the wall and sighed, wondering inwardly, *Is it woith it?*  
  
  
  
~*~*~*~*~  
  
  
  
Calli walked slowly up the Lodging House stairs, taking pleasure in the soil that was quickly staining the hem of her expensive dress.  
  
She reached the top of the stairs and turned to her right, entering the bunkroom for what would, sadly, be her last time. *Heah goes.*  
  
"Hey, everyone." Heads popped up and astonishment and disbelief was written on their faces. Several jumped up to run to her, but she held her hand out, stopping them.  
  
"Now, before you start off, I want to say that I thankyou very much for trying to 'rescue me' from Hearst, but really, it wasn't necessary. I'm quite happy with him. In fact,"  
  
Calli swallowed, forcing herself to say the lie realistically. She avoided Racetrack and Kid Blink's eyes, focusing on the wall across the room.  
  
"In fact, tomorrow I'm heading to Maryland. I'm going to marry a man named Robert Ogden. He's a businessman, and I'm sure we'll be very happy together. But it doesn't really matter. As long as he's rich, I'll be fine."  
  
Several newsies sucked in their breath at this, looking distastefully at her beautiful garments now.  
  
"Now that's about all I have to say. It's been nice to stay here, to see how you live, but I must honestly say I'm glad I was born in a higher class.  
  
"Thankyou all for everything over the past few months. Goodbye!" Calli smiled coldly and left the room quickly, not wanting to see her friend's reactions to her cold behavior.  
  
~*~*~*~*~  
  
Calli crossed her arms in front of her chest and sunk lower into the cushions. She was about to begin the worst ride of her life. She rubbed a circle in the dusty train window and watched the station workers loading baggage aboard. Back and forth, back and forth, their life was one big monotonous circle, but they still could do what they want. She wasn't even allowed to be a nobody streetrat.  
  
Calli darted a quick glance at Hearst, sitting calmly across from her reading the morning newspaper. He had probably bought it off of a newsie she knew..Calli still had the first newspaper edition she had ever sold. She had kept it for memories sake, and now she was taking it to Maryland with her.  
  
Calli thought she could read it on the train, to pass the time away.  
  
"Where's my handbag?" She asked abruptly, breaking the cold silence.  
  
Hearst blinked and kept reading, answering her vaguely, "I don't know. It was your responsibility."  
  
Calli sat up and looked out the window. Green, red, black, black, brown, white, brown, leather, blue.blue! There it was.  
  
A man walked over to the pile her bag was on and started to load them up to put them in the room.  
  
Calli jumped up, "I'll be right back. I'm gonna go get it." She hurried out of the room, hearing Hearst call after her,  
  
"Don't be long!"  
  
*As if he cares.*  
  
~*~*~*~*~  
  
Calli ran up to the station worker. "Wait! That's my bag!"  
  
The man looked up, "I know, miss, we're going to put it on the train and it'll go with you."  
  
Calli stomped her foot impatiently, "No, I know that, but I wanna take it on the train with me, okay?"  
  
"Alright, miss, that was all you had to say." He said, handing her the bag and leaving with the rest of the luggage.  
  
Calli bit her lip, feeling slightly guilty she had been so short. She walked over to the train platform, hesitatingly. *I suppose I should apologize..I don't know why, but I really feel I have to.*  
  
Calli sighed and walked back over to the man, "Um, sir? I'm."  
  
"Extry, extry! House destroyed by army a ants! Ownahs say house was dere one second an' gone da next!"  
  
Calli stopped, closing her eyes. *Not now, please.*  
  
The station worker glanced at his watch and moved away, getting back to work.  
  
"Moiderah on da loose! Dozen killed already, an' govanment officials are makin' no move ta stop him!"  
  
Calli opened her eyes, stunned when she caught a glimpse of Kid Blink in the crowd. *Calm down. Of course he's heah, this is where you used to sell, isn't it?*, her rational side told her.  
  
*But I can't let him see me, he hates me now!* she responded, panicked.  
  
*And why is that?*  
  
*Because I told them I was too good for them and I deserted them.*  
  
*Why?*  
  
Calli was silent. Why had she done it? The lodging houses and the newsies going to jail, of course. But why hadn't she merely told them the truth, instead of a lie she knew would hurt them?  
  
Calli saw Blink again and set her jaw. Well, she would simply go up to him and tell him the truth. He would understand, and if he didn't, well, she was leaving forever, and at least she had tried.  
  
~*~*~*~*~  
  
Kid Blink yelled out another headline, letting out all his anger. He hated Calli. He hated her using them, using HIM, and leaving to marry some dumb rich guy. Especially for leaving, though he hated to think that she was that important to him.  
  
Kid Blink thanked a woman and all of a sudden came face to face with the object of his hatred as he turned around. He gritted his teeth and looked her over. Rich blue dress, white gloves, hair twisted up with a few pieces hanging down.it was hard to believe she had ever worn his dirty, ragged shirts, pants and suspenders. She looked too good for that now.  
  
"Whaddya want?" he snapped, shifting his newspapers from hand to hand.  
  
Calli was nervous. He could see that in the way she pulled at her gloves and avoided his eyes. Suddenly she stopped and looked straight up into his eyes, "Blink.I didn't mean it."  
  
Kid Blink ignored the hope he felt, and asked harshly, "What?"  
  
"I didn't mean it. I lied. I don't care about riches or wealth, or dresses, or balls, or mansions. I care about people, Blink. I care about the newsies. I hate Hearst. Oh, I hate him so much," she clenched her fist defiantly.  
  
"Why did ya say it den?" Blink said, swallowing. She was using him again, toying with his emotions.  
  
"Cause.well, he."  
  
Kid Blink stared at her, "Why, Calli?"  
  
She looked up and half-smiled at hearing him say her name. "He said he'd burn down all the Lodging Houses and send all the newsies to jail if there was any more rescue attempts," she said at last.  
  
He laughed, shaking his head, "You believed him? Calli, t'ink about it. He sends us ta da refuge, who's gonna sell da papes? It'll cost him tons a money ta find laborers willin' ta do it, an' rebuildin' Lodgin' Houses will take a lot a time an' money, which I don't t'ink he's willin' ta give. He wouldn't boin dem down."  
  
Calli stared at him, "You serious?"  
  
He nodded, smiling. She frowned, then grinned in relief, "Well, why am I wearing this then?"  
  
He started laughing again, "I dunno, especially considerin' yer train jist left wit'out youse."  
  
"What?!" She asked panicked, whirling around. Sure enough, the train bound to Maryland was already becoming a distant speck. "What am I gonna do now?"  
  
Blink raised his eyebrows, "Do? Yer gonna come live wit' us again."  
  
She bit her lip, "Blink? I'm a girl. Besides, I doubt Jack would allow it."  
  
"He already has. Membah when he was talkin' ta you but was interrupted by da bulls? He was gonna ask if youse wanted ta come back."  
  
She started to smile, opening her mouth, but he cut her off. "'Sides, Kloppman is movin' all his boxes an' stuff out of da spare room, ya know da one at da end a da hallway? Yep, well, we're gonna make dat inta yer room, an' who knows? We may get uddah goil newsies, an' it's big enough fer a goil bunkroom."  
  
Calli winced inwardly. She somehow doubted she was ready for other girls to move in with 'her' boys, but as Blink said, who knows what the future holds?  
  
She darted a look up at him. He looked so cute, his blonde hair in complete disarray and his one good eye looking at her, curious. A mischievous smile formed on her lips.yes, anything could happen.  
  
THE END  
  
..for now  
  
A.N.- Next story is Raising the Stakes, and yes, it does have Calli in it (man, I have a whole other story to write before I can post up my pet story, darn it! hehehehe. Keeping Up the Act is my pet story, and I already posted the first chapter in it cause I love it so much, then I restrained myself, and now I've decided to do them in order) REVIEW!!!!!!! Pretty please, just think, this is your last opportunity to review Paving The Way..  
  
OH! Wait! If you didn't already see it, I'll tell you again. The Uptown Lodging House. It's me and Spark's second newsie website, an' we just started it. Unfortunately we can't really post it up until we get some lodgers, cause there's an entire page about them, an' me and her will be writing our joint series on the lodgers in the Uptown LH an' they'll be really important. So if you've read her stuff, and mine, and you like it, just think, you could be one of our characters. So if you're interested in being a lodger, ask us in a review (include your email) and we'll send you the application. And if you don't like the website once it's posted and you see it, we can just take you off. But I think you will.. (of course I would, but just check!) Thanks, and remembah ta review!!!!!!  
  
Farewell, faithful Paving The Way readers and reviewers!!!!  
  
From, yours faithfully,  
  
Ciara Lewis a.k.a Queen 


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